Mass. audit faults Medicaid dental claims

BOSTON (AP) — A state audit has found $1.3 million in questionable dental claims to the state's Medicaid program.

Auditor Suzanne Bump says MassHealth needs to do a better job of screening claims for payments from dental providers.

According to Bump's audit, the bulk of the unwarranted charges came for detailed oral screenings, allowed under MassHealth regulations only for patients who are undergoing radiation, chemotherapy or organ transplant.

But auditors found that 10 dental providers billed the state and were paid for nearly 20,000 detailed oral screenings for patients who did not meet the criteria for the procedure.

Bump says the auditor's office has identified more than $7.5 million in questionable Medicaid dental claims since 2010.